Key case



H. STAWSKY Aug. 14, 1951 KEY CASE Filed Jan. 23, 1948 INVENTOR. HARRY STAWSKY BY gm ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 14, 1951 UNITED STATES; PATENT OFF ICE KEY CASE;

Harry-Stawsky, Brooklyn; NIYZ" Application J anu'ary23, 1M8,v SeriaLNo. 3,'970- 2" Claims. (Cl. 1504 1 This invention relates to an'improved'ke'ycase: One of the objects oftheinventionis to pro'- vide" akeycase with a plate having-"a plurality of' key holding hooks, a strap for moving the.

plate'and hooks in the case toward service-posi tion' and away from-"service position; means for securing the strap on-the case so that the'k'eyssuspended on the hooks will be supported in en closed position within thec'ase:

Another obj ect" of the invention is the provi' sion of a'key' case having closed'sides-and an"- op'en' lower end; a key holding"plate -positioned within the case; a strap; secured to'the plate to support the keys in thekeycase, the keycase-hav ing'a slot through which oneend ofthestrap:

slides; andan opening in one end of thekeycase' through which the other end "of the strapslides, so that thekeys may be shifted in thecaseto service use position *by'plullin'g on one-end'of the strap, and may be with'drawndnto the case---by' pulling on the other end of-the' strap.-

Another object of the invention is the previ sion of a" keycase with this combined construction, and a snap fastenerv having, its parts secured to one side of the keycase'and to one end of 'the strap, whereby the strap may bee-secured to the keycase to retain all ot 'the'keys withim the keycase.:

A still. further object of the invention is the provision of a keycase of this general construe tion; wherein thestrap' is" provided with" stops to limit its sliding movement .in'either direction on the keyca'se, and preventcornplete separation of the strapfrorn the keycase;

A still further objeotof' theinvention" is to provide the operating strap with wedge shaped portions adapted to frictionally hold the ends of the strap in place in the receiving openings of the keycase.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the face of the improved keycase, showing the keys in concealed position within the keycase.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the rear side of the improved keycase.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the keycase, showing one side wall thereof removed and the operating strap extended.

Fig dis a: centraflongitudinal sectional view,

taken on line'fi l 'of Fig; 1, looking in the-direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a plan:.view"ofthe rearside of a modifledif'orm, showing the keys extended" for service use.

Fig: 6151s a plan viewer the strap; Derseused in' the-form. ofthe' inventionshown' in Fig; 5 construction Referring'jto 'theidrawings; which illustrate the practical emb'odimenti'ofmyinvention; l0 designates a. keycase.; constructed'of leather or similar flexiblematerial, and provided. witha front wall H and'ai'baek wall [2, oflequalisize; These two walls aresecured'to each'other b'y'marginal plural stitching I3, extending'along,each'side thereof, and along the.top.edgeofthekeycase, except at the central upper portionthereof, where an opening I4 is formedbetween the front wall H. and the back wall l2; The bottom-edge portions l5 of'the keycase walls l I and I2. are'wholly unstitched, so that/a. delivery opening H1 nearly the full width of the keycase is formed.

Aiflexible leatherstrap I6 is'extended throughthe .topopening l4; and. also through. the slot opening; IT, formed; in the" back. wall 12. This strap I6' is formed with: a-D'-shaped.stop: [8' on one end thereof, and a D-shaped stop IS on the other. end thereof. The stop, [8 is wider than the slot opening: i1, ,so thatthe strap will not'pa'ss entirely through the slot'opening, and the. D- shapedstop forming, end'portion of. the strap will provide aipu'll'tab on the end of the'strap. The strap [621s also h'eldJfronr completeseparation from the opening: I47 by means: of the D shaped stop l9} as this stop is" wider than said opening, and also forms a pull tab for shifting the strap.

On the flexible leather strap IS a metal key plate 20 is secured by the rivets 2i and 22. This plate is equipped with a plurality of pivoted key holding hooks 23, on each of which one or more keys 24 may be detachably connected.

' The end stop I9 is provided with a button snap coupling element 25, which is adapted to couple with the button snap element 26 attached to the front wall I l directly below the opening I4.

When the end stop and tab I9 is coupled to the button snap element 26, the key plate 20 and its keys will be supported in their uppermost positions, entirely concealed between the side walls of the keycase. But by separating the pull tab and stop l9 from the coupling element 26 and then pulling on the end stop and tab l8 the key holding plate and hooks, and their keys, will be moved downwardly toward the delivery opening 10, and the keys will be extended below the lower end of the keycase, where they may be identified, and the wanted key selected from the group.

After any one or more keys have been used for the usual service, the tab and stop I9 may be pulled, so that the plate 20 and its keys will be withdrawn into the keycase. To hold the key plate and its keys in the upper part of the keycase, the pull tab and stop 19 is secured to the button snap element 26.

In Figs. 5 and 6, a modified form of the invention is shown, wherein the operating strap 30 is formed with terminal pull tabs and stops l8 and IS. The portion of the strap 31! adjacent the pull tab 18' is formedwith upwardly converging side edges 31, forming a Wedge, which is adapted to fit tightly in the slot opening I7, and the portion of the strap 30 adjacent the pull tab and stop i9 is also formed with converging side edge portions 32 forming a wedge which is adapted to fit snugly in the top opening Id. The pull tab or stop i9 is also quipped with a button snap element 33 which is adapted to engage the button snap element 3 -1 of the keycase 10'.

When a large number of keys are mounted on the movable key plate 20, the button snap may be subjected to excessive strain, and in this condition the wedges formed on the ends of the operating strap 30 serve the very useful purpose of distributing the strain imposed by the weight of the keys upon both walls of the keycase.

My invention provides a keycase wherein a larger number of keys may be quickly concealed between the side walls. of the keycase, and brought to immediate service use, without opening the keyoase. In this Way, all keys are held against entanglement with each other, and quick selection and use may be made.

It is to be understood that this arrangement may be used on keycases of all types and shapes, also on other similar articles.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. Mounting means for a keycase having opposed side walls secured together along both sides and along one end leaving the other end open with a laterally extending slot formed in one of the side walls midway of its sides and closely adjacent the open end thereof and a restricted opening in the secured ends of the side walls aligned longitudinally with the slot, comprising a strap between the side walls and having its ends slidably projected through the slot and the restricted opening for having keys mounted on the portion thereof between the side walls and between the slot and the restricted opening, means releasably securing the end of the strap which extends from the restricted opening to the outer face of the other side wall, and auxiliary means assisting said releasable securing means in retaining said strap against sliding movement relative to the side walls.

2. Key mounting means for a keycase having opposed side walls secured together along both sides and along one end leaving the other end open with a laterally extending slot formed in one of the side walls midway of its sides and closely adjacent the open end thereof and a restricted opening in the secured ends of the side Walls aligned longitudinally with the slot, comprising a strap between th side walls and having its ends slidably projected through the slot and the restricted opening for having keys mounted on the portion thereof between the side walls and between the slot and the restricted opening, means releasably securing the end of the strap which extends from the restricted opening to the outer side wall, and auxiliary means assisting said releasably securing means in retaining said strap against sliding movement relative to the side walls, said auxiliary means comprising spaced wedge-shaped formations on said strap facing the end extended from the restricted opening and at locations to be wedged into the material of the side walls defining the ends of the slot and the restricted opening as the said end of said strap is pulled from the restricted opening for engaging said releasable securing means.

HARRY STAWSKY.

REFERENQES orrsi) The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

, UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

